Criminal Justice Colleges in Colorado

Colorado enjoys an effective law enforcement community and a dropping crime rate. According to the FBI's Uniform Crime Statistic, the instances of violent crime in the Centennial State are down slightly from 2008 into 2009, and property crimes have dropped more significantly during that time period. Most of the serious crimes such as murder, rape, and burglary occur in the urban areas of Denver, Lakewood, and Colorado Springs.

Colorado Criminal Justice Careers

Nationally there were 3,172,420 people working in the criminal justice field in 2009, and an estimated 50,200 of them were employed in protective services in Colorado. The mean annual wage of law enforcement personnel in Colorado was $43,570, just above the national mean of $41,740, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Graduates of Colorado criminal justice schools work in several law enforcement capacities. The major types of employment in Colorado law enforcement are:

Corrections officers

Police officers and sheriff's deputies

Investigators and evidence technicians

Security officers

Probation and parole officers

Crime rates in Colorado were significantly lower than the national average, according to statistics from the National Institute of Corrections. The overall crime rate in the state was 13 percent lower than the national average, while violent crime was 25 percent lower.

Training at Colorado Criminal Justice Colleges

Colorado criminal justice colleges provide an excellent education for those entering law enforcement jobs in Colorado. Most universities and community colleges serve students on modern college campuses, but students who live in remote parts of the state or just need a more flexible schedule can take advantage of online Colorado criminal justice colleges and complete degrees without classroom attendance. Coursework at Colorado criminal justice colleges includes:

Patrol and community relations techniques

Colorado law and legal issues

Investigative skills and evidence collection

Use of force, self-defense, and firearms

Communication skills

Law enforcement agencies generally prefer to hire graduates of criminal justice programs. Men and women in police jobs in Colorado who have earned an associate's, bachelor's, or master's degree in criminal justice have the edge in being hired and qualify for promotions.